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Through generous member donations, two anthropology students, Joshua Anderson and Katie Patschke, will have the opportunity to spend this summer working with the AAA as part of the Association’s Summer Internship Program. They will also work with partnering host organizations in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The students were selected from more than fifty candidates based on their field of anthropological interest, academic strength, and recommendations from their professors.

Joshua Anderson is a senior at Minnesota State University – Mankato, and majors in anthropology with an emphasis on archaeology. He has a technical degree in Honda and Yamaha motorcycle mechanics from Universial Technical Institute in Phoenix, AZ. Joshua has served in the United States Army Reserves for 12 years, serving two deployments. Currently, he is an instructor teaching Carpentry/Masonry courses as well as actively working as a field supervisor for a county-wide archaeological survey at Minnesota State University – Mankato. As an AAA summer intern, Joshua will intern with Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC). NHHC is the official history program of the Department of the Navy. He will be working with the Underwater Archaeology Branch of the NHHC and will be conducting archaeological and historical research, synthesizing field information to prepare policy and case studies, as well as conserving artifacts and assisting with the inventory, management and artifact loan programs.

Katie Patschke, is a junior at Susquehanna University. She will graduate December 2014 with a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, Anthropology, and Studio Art. She is an active student leader who currently holds three president positions for clubs as well as being a member of the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega. Katie will intern with the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and be placed in the museum’s curatorial department where her tasks would include research on gender theory and object-based work related to a future exhibition on the contributions of, and issues addressed by, African contemporary woman artists.

Both Anderson and Patschke will also spend a portion of their time at the AAA offices, where they will be working with the Association’s public education program, RACE: Are We So Different?, researching various pieces of Federal legislation and regulatory initiatives and sharing their internship experience with members in Association publications and social media.

The AAA Summer Internship Program is in its fourth consecutive year. The internship provides professional experience to anthropology students and assists in shaping the foundation of their anthropological careers. This program is fully funded through member donations.

The American Anthropological Association is pleased to offer two internship opportunities funded by member donations.

Internships are six weeks in length from June 30 through August 8, 2014. Internships are unpaid however; interns will be provided housing and a meal/travel stipend.

Interns will spend approximately 40 percent of their time working onsite at the AAA offices in Arlington, Virginia, and the other 60 percent of their time working on-site at one of three locations described below.

Eligibility:

Undergraduate students in their junior or senior year

First Year Graduate students (completing the first year of graduate work by June 2013)

The American Anthropological Association is pleased to offer two internship opportunities funded by member donations and one internship opportunity funded by the Association for Feminist Anthropology for the summer of 2013.

Internships are six weeks in length from June 30 through August 17, 2013. Internships are unpaid however; interns will be provided housing and a meal/travel stipend.

Interns will spend approximately 40 percent of their time working onsite at the AAA offices in Arlington, Virginia, and the other 60 percent of their time working on-site at one of three locations described below.

Eligibility:

Undergraduate students in their junior or senior year

First Year Graduate students (completing the first year of graduate work by June 2013)

Through generous member donations, two anthropology students, Eric Rodriguez and Susannah Reed Poland, will have the opportunity to spend this summer working with the AAA as part of the Association’s Summer Internship Program. They will also work with partnering host organizations in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The students were selected from almost fifty candidates based on their field of anthropological interest, academic strength, and recommendations from their professors.

Eric Rodriguez is a senior at the University of Pittsburgh, and majors in anthropology. As an AAA summer intern, Eric will intern with Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC). NHHC is the official history program of the Department of the Navy. Eric will be working with the Underwater Archaeology Branch of the NHHC and will be conducting archaeological and historical research, synthesizing field information to prepare policy and case studies, as well as conserving artifacts and assisting with the inventory, management and artifact loan programs.

Susannah Reed Poland, is a senior at Stanford University, and is majoring in anthropology as well. Susannah will intern with the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and be placed in the museum’s curatorial department where her tasks would include research on gender theory and object-based work related to a future exhibition on the contributions of, and issues addressed by, African contemporary woman artists.

Both Rodriguez and Poland will also spend a portion of their time at the AAA offices, where they will be working with the Association’s public education program, RACE: Are We So Different?, researching various pieces of Federal legislation and regulatory initiatives and sharing their internship experience with members in Association publications and social media.

The AAA Summer Internship Program is in its second consecutive year. The internship provides professional experience to anthropology students and assists in shaping the foundation of their anthropological careers. This program is fully funded through member donations.

My last week in Washington D.C. has been filled with times of reflection as I assist in the completion of Phase II of the USS Scorpion Project and say my goodbyes to the staff at the American Anthropological Association (AAA). I am incredibly fortunate to have been allowed to experience first-hand the inner workings of the AAA. There is a great deal of work that needs to be done in order to keep anthropologists connected and informed as well as to publicly promote the discipline in order to maintain government funding for future research for members of the AAA. I am pleased that I was able to help, if even in a limited capacity, with the daily tasks. This experience has been and will continue to be a personal asset to me as I move forward with my career in the field of anthropology.

In addition to working at the AAA office, I also served as an intern to the Underwater Archaeology Branch (UAB) of the Naval History & Heritage Command (NHHC) located at the historic Navy Yard in Washington D.C. This command is responsible for promoting and preserving Naval History and is also home to a Navy Art Gallery and Navy Museum. I worked primarily in the conservation lab, the main UAB office, and out in the field. In the lab I was able to undertake an inventory of all artifacts. Basically, I was able to personally inspect everything and make sure that all items were accounted for; bullets, cannon balls, chamber pots, dinnerware, lanterns, and weapons. Every drawer I opened held my new favorite piece!

I was surprised to find that I would have an opportunity to assist the UAB team in the field. I was not aware that when I applied for this internship I would also be fullfilling a dream of mine to work in the field with archaeologists on a historic shipwreck. The shipwreck is the USS Scorpion, a War of 1812 ship that was scuttled in 1814 in the Patuxent River. The team consisted of a lead archaeologist, Dr. Robert Neyland, four archaeologists, one conservator and five interns. The UAB team worked in conjunction with the Maryland State Highway Administration and the Maryland Historical Trust. I arrived just as Phase II was beginning. The previous phase was to determine the exact location of the ship before excavation could begin and to acquire funding and supplies. Days in the field began at 6 am, the team would meet and load the van and head out to the Patuxent River where we would unload the van, and load a boat that would take us upstream to a floating research barge that was anchored in the middle of the river. My duties included all levels of gear set-up and operation, assisting with a continuous rotation of divers and taking notes and photographs of all daily events. My experience as a scuba diver and my training as an emergency oxygen provider and emergency first-responder proved to be a great comfort to the divers. I was also able to catalog and provide inital care to artifacts brought aboard by the archaeologists. Personally, I felt an emotional connection to the artifacts and to the ship itself, having served as a Marine and knowing that Marines served aboard this ship in defense of our country was a powerful experience for me. I felt that I was honoring their service and sacrifice by making sure that this site will never be forgotten through the archaeological process.

Prior to coming to D.C. I was resolved to not advance my education further by attending graduate school, however I feel that this may in fact be a viable option for me. I know more of what I want to accomplish in my life and after having met professionals at various stages of their academic careers I feel that I have a greater understanding as to how I will go about fullfilling my own academic goals.

I cannot express in enough words my profound gratitude to all the people that worked so hard to provide me with this life-altering experience. I would like to thank the entire AAA staff, especially Damon Dozier, I have learned so much from all of you, thank you for welcoming me into your midst. I would also like to thank the UAB, Dr. Robert Neyland, Alexis Catsambis, Heather Brown, Brad Krueger, Kate Morrand, and George Schwartz, I now know what I want to do and exactly how I will do it, thank you all for shedding light upon my future.

This summer, AAA is hosting two interns: Melissa Campbell-McIntosh and Juliana Bennington. In this blog post, Melissa shares her feelings about her first week in Washington, DC.

Hi, my name is Melissa and I am one of the two interns selected to work for the American Anthropological Association (AAA) this summer. I would like to start by briefly introducing myself. I am entering into my senior year at Saint Mary’s College of California in Moraga, CA, located in the beautiful San Francisco Bay Area. My major is Anthropology with a concentration in Archaeology. I am particularly interested in Maritime Archaeology, Collections Management, and Cultural Resource Management. I have worked for the past two years as an assistant to the Archivist at my school. This has allowed me to apply my scholarly interests in a practical setting.

Once I heard of the internship being offered by the AAA in partnership with the Underwater Archaeology Branch (UAB) of the Naval History & Heritage Command (NHHC), I knew I had to apply. I was confident that I was well qualified for this opportunity; however, I was not going to allow myself to get my hopes up until I knew for sure. I had never applied for an internship before and I figured at the very least I would walk away from this with some much needed practice in applying for future internships or research grants. Getting my congratulatory e-mail was one of the most thrilling experiences, second only to being accepted at Saint Mary’s.

Being accepted to this program brings with it a fair amount of pressure. Working for the AAA and the UAB entails representing these organizations, my school, the Anthropology Department, and my professors. I also wish to use this experience to enrich my knowledge base and gain more skills I can use in the future.

Since arriving in Washington, D.C and beginning my internship on July 6, 2011, I have been exposed to a wide variety of tasks and experiences. Working at the AAA offices has afforded me the opportunity to utilize social media outlets to promote my passion for all things Anthropology. This experience has allowed me to bring awareness to the processes of governmental funding which can greatly impact scientific research within the social sciences.

The other portion of my internship takes place at the Navy Yards where I work with Archaeologists and Conservationists at the Underwater Archaeology Branch of the Naval History & Heritage Command. This organization is responsible for acting in stewardship of all naval aircraft and vessel wreck sites that remain underwater and for preserving and housing all artifacts that have been excavated. Excavations of sites are only undertaken when intervention is required to preserve artifacts that are under threat; this can be due to environmental instability or human interference of the site.

I have been able to assist in the inventory of artifacts, conservation of artifacts, and promotion of the projects that are currently underway using social media outlets. On Monday July 18, I will be headed out to the field for the first time. The UAB is excavating the USS Scorpion, a War of 1812 ship that is located beneath the Pawtuxet River in Maryland. I will be able to aid the divers from atop a research barge and document any artifacts that are brought to the surface. Once the excavation team returns to base we will begin processing the artifacts to ensure that proper conservation methods are initiated immediately.

I would like to thank Saint Mary’s College and my professors for preparing me so well, I would not be where I am today if it were not for the remarkable educational experience I have had. I would also like to thank Damon Dozier and the entire staff at the AAA; I know that my future is much brighter now that I have been able to expand my horizon through gaining practical experience within a field which is so dear to me: Anthropology.

The May 1st deadline to apply for the AAA Student Internship Program is quickly approaching.

AAA is pleased to offer two internship opportunities funded by member donations for the summer of 2011. In partnership with host organizations in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area, one placement will focus on cultural resource management, historical preservation and artifact conservation, the other on international development and gender rights.

Internships are six weeks in length from July 5 through August 12, 2011. Internships are unpaid however; interns will be provided housing and a meal/travel stipend.

Interns will spend approximately 40 percent of their time working on-site at the AAA offices in Arlington, Virginia, and the other 60 percent of their time working on-site at one of the two partner agencies.

Eligibility:

Undergraduate students in their junior or senior year

First Year Graduate students (completing the first year of graduate work by June 2011)

Click here for application and program details – Applications are due on May 1, 2011.